The present disclosure relates to a method for a catalytic etch with magnetic direction control, an apparatus for performing the same, and a structure formed by the same.
Various anisotropic etch methods are known in the art. Such methods include an anisotropic reactive ion etch that provides directional removal of a material employing a patterned mask layer. The direction of the etch remains the same throughout the anisotropic etch process.
Crystallographic wet etches can also provide anisotropic removal of a material through formation of crystallographic facets during the etch. The direction of the etch is normal to the crystallographic surfaces during the etch.
Methods known in the art do not enable an arbitrary change in the etch direction. Thus, the variety of structures that can be patterned by local removal of a material is limited.